The title isn't entirely in jest -- Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit does represent Lowe's reinvention as a roots-rocker, as he delves into Tex-Mex, country-rock, garage rock and, of course, pop. After the muddled The Abominable Showman, Cowboy Outfit sounds positively vibrant, thanks in no small part to Lowe's backing band, comprised largely of veteran pub-rockers. The songs are also more consistently memorable, from the Farfisa-driven "Half a Boy and Half a Man" to the sublime covers of Mickey Jupp's "You'll Never Get Me Up in One of Those" and Sandie Shaw's "Breakaway." The rest of the album's pleasures, however, are subtle. "Maureen" and "God's Gift to Women" are charming yet slight, and the songs become increasingly lightweight as the album approaches its close. Even with the uneven songs, the Cowboy Outfit make the material appealing, and Lowe certainly sounds more appealing -- and comfortable -- as a roots-rocker than as an aging new wave popster. - Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The Cowboy Outfit consisted of Ace / Squeeze / Mike & the Mechanics / solo star Paul Carrack, alongside the Rumour's Martin Belmont and Bobby Irwin, Nick's drummer to this day! From 1984 the album features the hit single 'Half A Boy And Half A Man'. From the tex-mex fun of "Half a boy" to the pure pop (albeit with the Dexys Midnight Runners horn section) of "LAFS," this album does it for me. Along with incorporating huge swaths of country and pub rock, this record revealed to me that music could be important (a la Costello), unassuming (a la Proclaimers), and FUN (NICK!), all at the same time. I hadn't known that before.
THIS IS PURE NICK LOWE, poppy, hook dense and irresistible. Sometimes it seems Nick Lowe just can't stumble, he has moved from strength to strength from Brinsley Schwartz to Rockpile to his amazing solo output. This album is no exception; few artists could pull off a ballad like LAFS (Love AT First Sight). Every track here is excellent, but especially good are the bawdy, bizarre `(Hay Big Mouth) Stand Up and Say That', the biting, vicious `God's Gift To Women' and the jaunty, lively `Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young'. If you like pub rockers like Elvis Costello and Graham Parker, or country rockers like Wilco and The Bottle Rockets, or off kilter madmen like The Beat Farmers or Webb Wilder, you'll like Nick Lowe, hell, everybody likes Nick Lowe
Musicians:
NICK LOWE: bass, guitar, vocals / MARTIN BELMONT: guitar / PAUL CARRACK: keyboards, backing vocals / BOBBY IRWIN: drums, backing vocals / Billy Bremner : guitar (8,9) / Bobby Valentino: fiddle (4) / Elvis Costello: horn arrangement (11) / Robert Kirby: string arrangement (11)
T.K.O. Horns (11): Jeff Blythe: saxophone / Jim Paterson: trombone / Dave Plews: trumpet / Paul Speare: saxophone
traxfromwax:
1. Half A Boy And Half A Man 2. You'll Never Get Me Up (In One Of Those) 3. Maureen 4. God's Gift To Women 5. The Gee And The Rick And The Three Card Trick 6. (Hey Big Mouth) Stand Up And Say That 7. Awesome 8. Breakaway 9. Love Like A Glove 10. Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young 11. L.A.F.S.
trax:
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